Helmets for use in a variety of sports as well as for various safety purposes, are well known. The purpose of a helmet is typically to reduce risk of injury of the head of the wearer in the event that the head is contacted with a direct force. Helmets used by those engaged in certain sports, such as lacrosse, typically have a hard protective outer shell that covers some type of energy-absorbing material. A wire facemask is typically attached to the protective outer shell to shield the wearer's face from a direct impact, such as being hit by a ball.
One of the problems associated with a direct impact on the facemask of a wearer, is that it can shift the orientation of the facemask with respect to the outer shell of the protective helmet. This can cause discomfort for the wearer as well as partially obscure the wearer's view. After impact, the facemask can be skewed such that the vertical or horizontal members comprising the facemask are positioned in front of the wearer's eyes thereby limiting the wearer's field of view. For example, when a lacrosse player is hit directly in the facemask by a lacrosse ball, the impact of the ball can shift the vertical members of the facemask in front of the line of sight of the wearer, thus inhibiting the player.
Conventional fasteners used to secure the facemask to the outer shell of the helmet have proved ineffective in preventing the facemask to misalign with respect to the protective outer shell after certain types of impact. Accordingly, a need remains for an improved fastening device that reduces misalignment between the facemask and the protective outer shell of a helmet after impact.